


At Last

by DizzyDrea



Category: JAG
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-14
Updated: 2010-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-27 03:56:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/291370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DizzyDrea/pseuds/DizzyDrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little game shows Mac and Harm the way home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Last

**Author's Note:**

> The inspiration for this story was, clearly, the lovely Etta James and her song _At Last_. My thanks to her for such a wonderful song. Thanks also to the singers and writers for the songs mentioned here: _The Tender Trap_ by Frank Sinatra, _Memories Are Made Of This_ by Dean Martin, and of course _At Last_ by the incomparable Etta James.
> 
> JAG and all its particulars is the property of Donald P. Belisarius, Belisarius Productions, Paramount Television, NBC Productions and a lot of other people who aren't me. I'm doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~o~

“Am I glad that’s over.”

Mac sighed as she flopped into the chair in Harm’s office. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and tried to let the strain of the last few weeks drain out of her.

“After this, I think we both deserve medals,” Harm returned from the chair behind his desk, allowing his head to fall back as well.

Lt Commander Harmon “Harm” Rabb and Lt Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie had just finished two weeks of grueling testimony surrounding a drug ring operating out of Norfolk. It had been a tough prosecution, including the indictment of a senior officer, but they had worked hard to make sure their case was airtight. The verdicts had been read out that morning, and all four men involved had been found guilty. They were looking at hard time in Leavenworth and dishonorable discharges, not to mention the disappointment of their families and colleagues.

“I think I’ll just go home and sleep the rest of the weekend away,” Mac said without moving. “If I can convince my body to move,” she added.

“If you figure out how to motivate your muscles, let me know,” added a similarly unmoving Harm.

They sat for a while in Harm’s dark office, neither one having the energy to even turn on the lights. This was Thursday afternoon, and the Admiral had given them the rest of the week off, realizing they would need the time to unwind before starting all over again Monday morning.

“So,” Mac tried again, “want to get something to eat tonight?”

Harm smiled slightly. He had been hoping to convince her to get together tonight, but dinner wasn’t what he had in mind. He knew it was time to put his cards on the table. He’d been thinking about this for a long time, and had come up with a plan. And tonight was the night to put that plan into action.

Leaning forward in his chair, he put his elbows on the desk and rested his chin in his palms. “Let’s play a game tonight.”

Mac opened her eyes and looked over at her partner, confusion creasing her brow. “Like Monopoly?” she asked. He’d never been into board games before, so this was an unusual request.

“Not Monopoly,” Harm replied cryptically. 

“Scrabble?” Mac tried again.

“Have you ever met someone somewhere but pretended not to know them?”

Now Mac was really confused. “You want to pretend to be strangers while we play Scrabble?”

Harm chuckled. “No. I want to meet you somewhere for drinks. But I want it to be a game. A game where we pretend we don’t know each other.”

“Sounds like a strange game to me,” Mac replied as she closed her eyes and resumed her inactivity.

Harm leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He’d known she would be hard to convince, but he believed this would be worth it.

“I did this once a long time ago, with a friend of mine. It was very…enlightening.”

Mac’s eyes opened once again and she looked over at her partner before she turned back to study the ceiling tiles above her. In truth it sounded kind of interesting. You could learn a lot about a person that thought they were talking to a stranger. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. Besides, what was she going to do tonight anyway? Sit in her apartment alone and share a pint of Ben & Jerry’s with her dog? Not a very appealing idea. And maybe, just maybe, she’d get Harm to see her as more than just his partner. Maybe.

“Okay,” she said. “Where do we meet?”

Harm reached for a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. Reaching for his cover and briefcase, he stood and readied to leave. Leaning over Mac, who was still sitting in the chair and by now feeling a little excitement at what lay ahead, he handed her the slip of paper. 

His nose almost touching hers, he smiled, looked deep into her liquid brown eyes and whispered, “And Mac, wear something sexy.”

Then he rose and swept out of the room.

Mac’s breathing, which had become rather ragged at the close proximity of her partner, began to even out. She looked at the piece of paper he had given her. Opening it with slightly shaking fingers, she saw the few words written there.

Sam’s Place  
193 W Edison, Arlington  
8pm

She had never heard of the place, but knowing Harm, it was probably some flyboy hangout. Shaking her head at what she had gotten herself into, she rose from the chair and headed to her office to collect her things before leaving for the week.

~o~

“I know, but this is important,” Harm spoke into the phone as he tossed his keys and cover to his desk.

“Thanks,” he said a moment later before disconnecting his cell and dropping it next to his keys. 

He knew he was running behind, but there had been a few things he’d needed to take care of, a few calls to make. He wanted everything to be perfect for tonight. This might be his only chance, and he didn’t want to blow it.

Looking down at his watch, he realized he’d need to hurry if he wanted to be on time to meet Mac.

~o~

Jingo lay on Mac’s bed, her chin propped on her paws, giving Mac the saddest eyes she could muster.

Mac just smiled at her faithful companion before returning to the mirror to check her appearance yet again. She’d had the dress for a while, just waiting for a reason to wear it. Well, this was as good a reason as any. He had said dress sexy, so she was dressed the sexiest she knew how. The dress was red, and she had taken extra care with her hair and make-up. She just hoped it was worth it.

Touching up her hair one more time, she quickly grabbed her purse and wrap and headed for the door, her internal clock telling her that it was nearly time for her to meet her partner. The cab was waiting downstairs, and she wanted to be on time. 

She didn’t know what this night might hold, but as she had readied, she had grown more and more excited. Maybe tonight she would see something in his expression, catch something in his words that would give her some hope. Maybe.

As the cab pulled up in front of her destination, Mac looked with surprise. The sign above the door said Sam’s Place, but this didn’t look like any flyboy hangout she had ever seen. The door was dark wood, and the front window had a glow emanating from inside. The street was relatively quiet, and there didn’t seem to be overwhelming noise coming from rowdy pilots inside.

Mac paid the driver and headed for the door. Once inside, she knew she wasn’t in a typical nightclub. Plush carpet cushioned her feet as she made her way to the bar. Soft candlelight flickered from the various tables tucked into corners and floating about the room. The bar itself looked to be mahogany, immaculately cleaned and twinkling in the light. And she could just make out the sounds of Frank Sinatra playing in the background. There were very few people in view, which added to the intimate air.

Sliding onto a leather barstool, Mac looked around in astonishment. She didn’t think she could picture Harm in a place like this. It just didn’t seem to fit with what she knew of him.

Quietly a man appeared before her. “My name’s Sam. Welcome,” he said simply.

“Thanks, Sam. I like your place,” Mac returned with ease. 

Sam was a tall man with graying hair, ebony skin and a wide smile. Wearing a white shirt and dark pants, he seemed to fit with the atmosphere.

“Thank you, I like it too,” Sam smiled as he placed a glass with ice in front of Mac. He filled the glass with club soda and added a twist before pushing it in Mac’s direction.

“How did you know I would order a club soda?” Mac wanted to know, astonishment reflecting in her eyes.

“Well,” Sam began with a wink, “you don’t seem like the gin and tonic type, so I thought we’d start with this and go from there.”

Mac smiled and sipped at her drink, enjoying her surroundings. She realized that it had been a while since she had really relaxed; since long before this trial began. It felt good to have no other purpose on earth than to sit and enjoy the moment.

~o~

Harm had to take a deep, steadying breath before pushing through the door to Sam’s. He’d rushed to get there, and didn’t want to be out of breath when he arrived. He’d taken longer than usual to get ready, enjoying a long, hot shower and a slow, careful shave. Dressed in a gray suit with a sapphire shirt that matched the color of his eyes, he cut an impressive figure as he strode quietly into the room.

He caught sight of Mac as he entered and he stopped and just looked his fill before moving further. She was, in a word, exquisite. The red dress she wore fluttered around her knees, and allowed the candlelight to play off her bare shoulders, the red straps of the dress the only interruption in her smooth olive skin. Her legs were capped by strappy sandals hooked on the barstool, giving them a long, curvy profile. She was deep in conversation with Sam, but he could see that she’d even done her hair differently. It was curlier, wilder somehow, and the clip that held it away from her face twinkled in the light.

As her conversation with Sam reached a lull, Harm propelled himself forward and landed at her side. His heart beat in his chest, but he took a breath and began the game.

“Now this is truly a sad thing,” he began, now the suave pilot instead of the JAG lawyer.

Mac turned at the sound of the familiar voice, and her breath caught in her throat. Harm was standing before her, but he looked different somehow. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t in uniform, or maybe that he looked more relaxed than she had seen him, well, ever. His hair seemed darker, and that smile…it had stopped her heart plenty of times before, but tonight was different.

Mindful that she hadn’t replied, Mac rejoined, “What is?”

“Well,” Harm said carefully, “here’s the prettiest girl in DC, sitting alone in a bar. Every man in this city should be flogged for leaving you here like this.”

“You’re here now,” Mac reminded him, turning on her charm and flirtatious nature to full blast. “Why don’t you pull up a barstool and make up for the failings of your compatriots.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m Harmon, by the way,” he said, holding out his hand to shake.

Mac raised an eyebrow, but continued on without missing a beat. “I’m Sarah,” she “introduced” herself as they shook hands.

“Would you like another?” Harm indicated her glass, nearly empty by now.

“Thank you,” it was Mac’s turn.

Harm gestured to Sam and said, “Another for the lady, and I’ll have the same.”

As Sam fixed their drinks, Harm looked back to Mac and asked, “So, have you ever been to Sam’s before?

Mac smiled at him. “No. A friend recommended I come here, so here I am. It’s nice.”

It was Harm’s turn to smile now. “Now how is it that you have never been here before? Are you from out of town? If you don’t mind my asking,” Harm rushed to add, wanting to keep up the façade.

“I don’t mind,” Mac replied gently. “Actually, I live in Georgetown, but I don’t get much of an opportunity to get to Arlington.”

“Well, now you know what you’ve been missing all this time.”

“Now I know,” Mac echoed. “So, what about you? How did you find out about Sam’s Place?”

Harm smiled at the opportunity to share something about himself he knew she wouldn’t know. “Sam’s an old friend of the family. When I moved to DC, I looked him up.”

“So you live in Arlington,” Mac baited him with a smile.

“Actually, I live in Union Station,” Harm replied with a sardonic smile, knowing what would come next. “I know, not a very nice neighborhood. I’ve already had a car stolen.”

Mac cringed at the thought of his corvette stripped bare and abandoned. She knew how much that had hurt, even though it was just a car.

“Don’t you think you should find a safer place to live,” concern etching the lines in Mac’s face.

“Probably, but this was the place I bought right after I moved to DC. I was starting over, and I guess this place represents that new beginning. It would be pretty hard to let that go. I’ve spent a lot of happy hours in that apartment.”

Mac smiled at the sentiment. She didn’t realize he was that attached to his place. She, on the other hand, didn’t even own the furniture in her apartment, which would make it that much easier to leave, a sentiment she readily shared with her “new” friend.

“Something of a rootless existence, don’t you think?”

Mac tilted her head in thought. “I suppose it does make it easier to just pick up and leave if things aren’t going well. That may be why I took the place when I first moved here.”

“But you’ve lived here for a while now?” Harm questioned, more meaning behind his words than a casual listener would pick up.

“I’ve been here long enough that I really should at least buy my own bed!” Mac joked.

Harm laughed at the playful way Mac was talking to him. He never realized she had this side. Sure, they joked back and forth at the office, but there was something more restrained about that. Here, now, Mac seemed freer. And Harm was enjoying it.

“Seriously, I’ve been able to build a life here, which is nice. I haven’t even thought about moving in a long time. I like it here. It’s become home, and it would be difficult to leave,” Mac continued, quieter.

“It’s a nice feeling, isn’t it? Having a place to call home.”

Mac watched the emotions play across Harm’s face. She had known him for over seven years now, but it was as if she was seeing him for the first time. She was leaning against the bar, just drowning in his deep blue eyes, and loving every minute of it.

They chatted on idly for a while longer, until Harm caught the beginning of a song he knew. Standing, he turned to Mac and held out his hand.

“Would the lady care to dance?” he asked, his eyebrows raised, smile in place.

Mac smiled back and took his hand. “I would love to.”

As Sinatra’s voice rose in the quiet room, Harm and Mac walked hand in hand across the room to a quiet corner by the bar where there was a small dance floor. Harm swung Mac around and pulled her into his arms, eliciting a laugh. 

“You do have a flair for the dramatic,” she chuckled.

“Want some more?” Harm quirked his eyebrow as he swung her around and pulled her close as Sinatra sang about love being the tender trap.

~o~

When the song ended, they both returned to the bar and ordered another round. 

“So, what is a pretty girl like you doing alone tonight?” Harm asked.

Mac’s face took on a shadow for just a moment, but Harm immediately regretted his words.

“I’m sorry,” he quickly added. “I shouldn’t have asked such a personal question.”

“No, it’s okay,” Mac assured him. “I was engaged.”

“Was?” Harm questioned gently.

“Yeah, ‘was.’ He was a sweet man, always trying to make me laugh, very affectionate and attentive. But he had a dark side, too. It didn’t come out very often, but when it did…well let’s just say I’ve seen enough of that in my lifetime.”

“I’m sorry,” Harm said again.

“Don’t be,” Mac assured him. It was funny how she could talk to him about this as if he were a stranger, when she couldn’t seem to talk to him about it any other time. “I loved him, but I wasn’t in love with him. In the end it was better that we didn’t get married.”

Harm didn’t know what to say, so he just sat and looked at her for a moment.

“So what about you?” Mac started again. “I notice a ring on that finger, but it doesn’t look like a wedding band.”

Harm smiled another sardonic smile at the question. “Well, I was seeing this woman for a while, but it wasn’t going anywhere. She ended up running off with an undertaker.”

Harm’s embarrassed look broke Mac’s heart a little, despite her chuckle at his way with words. “You weren’t engaged, then?” she asked gently.

Harm shook his head. “She wasn’t the one and I knew it. I guess being with her for a while was better than being alone.”

“Sounds like you were settling,” Mac observed.

“Maybe I was,” Harm agreed. “Sounds like you were, too.”

“Maybe I was,” Mac echoed his words.

Gazing into his deep blue eyes, Mac caught a glimpse of longing that hadn’t been there a moment ago. Her heart beat just a bit faster at the thought that he might be longing for her, not Renee. As the notes of another familiar tune floated to her across the bar, she thought for the first time all night that this might just turn out better than she hoped. Maybe.

“Another dance, Sarah?” Harm asked looking deep into her eyes. He saw a twinkle in those brown depths that hadn’t been there before, and he found himself hoping it was for him. Mac rose and gave him her hand as they returned to the dance floor.

~o~

“So, we’ve talked personal, let’s talk professional,” Harm stated as they turned in slow circles to the voice of Dean Martin.

“Okay,” Mac returned. “What do you want to know?”

“What do you do to finance that fully furnished apartment of yours?”

Mac laughed at his turn of words. “I’m a lawyer,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Harm quirked an eyebrow. “A lawyer, huh? Not many people would admit to that, especially in this town.”

“I suppose not,” Mac chuckled. “I like what I do, though, and the people I work with are like family to me.”

“That’s important to you, isn’t it,” Harm observed, looking straight into Mac’s eyes.

“I don’t have any family in DC,” Mac said, “so, yeah, having close relationships with the people I work with helps fill that void.”

Mac smiled lightly up at the tall “stranger” holding her. Thoughts of family inevitably caused her to think of him. He was as much family as the Admiral or the Roberts’ would ever be. She wondered if he knew that.

“What about you?” Mac asked, breaking the silence. 

“I used to be a pilot,” Harm stated.

Mac smiled, her question over what career he would talk about first answered exactly as she thought it would be. “You’re not anymore, I take it.”

“I got grounded,” Harm stated. “Vision problems,” he continued, anticipating the next question. “I’ve worked in an office in DC for several years now. I went back to flying for a while, but it just wasn’t the same.”

“Not as good as you used to be?” Mac queried.

Harm gave a smirk at the comment, then answered. “I wasn’t the same.”

That cryptic response had Mac confused, and it showed on her face.

“Once I got back out there,” he continued, sharing a part of himself he’d never really shared before, “I realized that my life, my family, was back at the office in DC, and I realized that I missed it, missed them, far more than I thought I would.”

The song ended just then, Mac’s eyes shining bright as they once again returned to the bar. She’d never known that he missed them all so much that he was willing to give up his passion to come back. She had always thought that his return was due to career considerations. Now she knew better. It didn’t mean he’d come back because of her, but it was a start.

~o~

“So, Harmon, since the pretty lady ran off with the undertaker, does that mean you’re seeing someone new?” Mac asked, taking the lead for the first time all night.

Sam was standing at the bar, refilling their drinks yet again. He smiled at the interplay between the two people before him. He knew there was something going on, he just wasn’t sure they realized it. Looking at Harm, and seeing the way he’d treated this lovely lady all evening, Sam decided that he knew what he was doing, and faded into the background once again.

Harm smiled and looked at Mac, really looked at her, for the first time all night. This was the opening he had been waiting for, and now he had a choice to make. He could walk through the door she was opening for him, or he could retreat and live to fight another day. 

Taking a deep breath, Harm took the only course of action he could.

“No,” he began, “I’m not seeing anyone right now. There’s someone I’d like to get to know better, someone at my office, but the timing just hasn’t been right.”

Harm looked into Mac’s eyes and saw a moment of surprise at his admission. But ever the Marine, she regained her composure and pushed ahead.

“What are you waiting for?” Mac asked, point blank.

Harm cringed a bit at her bluntness. He’d been wondering the same thing, ever since he’d ditched his Tomcat in the Atlantic the night before her wedding. A fact he shared with her in a quiet voice, looking almost sheepish as he did so. “I don’t know.”

Mac’s heart broke a little at that admission. It had cost him to say that; to admit that he didn’t know what was holding him back, but that something was.

“Does she seem interested in you?” she ventured. Secretly, she wanted to know what he thought. But more importantly, she wanted him to see that it didn’t matter whether she was interested or not. All that mattered was the attempt.

Harm’s eyes glowed a deeper blue as he looked at Mac in the candlelight. He could see her eyes glowing back at him, and it encouraged him to once again step out on faith.

“Sometimes,” he observed. “But she’s a woman in a man’s world. She puts up a tough front that’s hard to break through.”

It was Mac’s turn to cringe. It was true that she acted tougher than she felt most of the time. It was an old habit, developed long before she’d even met Harm. And a tough habit to break. She liked to think she didn’t need anyone, but the truth was that she wouldn’t have been so ready to accept Mic, faults and all, if she hadn’t needed someone to share her life with. 

Taking a deep breath herself, she plunged ahead, giving Harm the one piece of advice she thought might bridge the gap between them. 

“Maybe, Harmon,” she began, mentally crossing her fingers, “what your lady friend needs is someone to court her.”

Harm’s confused expression caused her to smile briefly.

“Court her?”

“Yes, you know, flowers, dinner and dancing, kind words and sweet notes?”

“But we’re not even dating,” Harm felt the need to point out.

“How else will she know you are interested?” Mac returned.

“Point taken,” Harm muttered, feeling a bit chagrined. “What about you?” he returned, hoping to deflect some of the uneasiness he was feeling. “Have you dated anyone since your breakup?”

“I’d like to,” she said, playing it coy for a bit. “But, no. Like you said, the timing is just off.”

“I take it there is someone you have your eye on,” Harm observed, hope rising in his chest.

“Yes,” Mac said, tilting her head to one side. “But it’s complicated.”

“Why?”

“We work together,” Mac pointed out. “It would just be too weird.”

“And that’s a reason for not going after happiness?” Harm accused.

“It isn’t?”

“No,” Harm stated emphatically, “it isn’t. Sarah, your personal happiness should come before everything else in your life. So you work together. Find a way to work around that.”

Mac was shocked by the matter-of-fact way he put it. “Just like that, huh?” Mac questioned.

“Just like that,” Harm returned, somewhat chagrined that he hadn’t taken his own advice.

As they looked deep into each other’s eyes, they both saw the same thing: hope. It was a turning of a corner for both of them. Harm tore his gaze away from Mac long enough to seek out Sam in the dimly lit bar. Suddenly, the music changed, the tune familiar, and the urge to dance overwhelmed Mac.

“One last dance,” Mac looked at Harm, her eyes aglow.

“One last dance,” Harm agreed.

~o~

The rich, soulful voice of Etta James filled the room. Harm and Mac swayed to the beat, their bodies molded to one another. 

_At last…_  
 _My true love has come along…_  
 _My lonely days are over…_  
 _And life is like a dream…_

As the words to the song washed over them, Mac looked up into the deep blue eyes of her partner. He was truly one of a kind. Full of bravado and yet gentle and sensitive. It was a welcome contrast, and one she didn’t think she’d ever tire of.

Harm looked down into rich chocolate pools and sighed. He’d never met anyone quite like Mac before. She was tough, yet sweet. Demanding yet soulful. A study in contrasts if ever there was one. And he wouldn’t have her any other way.

His gaze shifted from her eyes to take in the curves of her face, the elegant sweep of her nose, the fullness of her lips. Not willing or able to resist the urge, Harm bent ever so slowly and brushed her lips with his. He pulled back only long enough to seek encouragement in Mac’s eyes before touching his lips to hers once more.

He kissed her deeply, molding his lips to hers. She willingly parted her lips under his, meeting his tongue with her own. Harm explored the softness of her mouth, gently but passionately deepening the kiss. He felt Mac shudder underneath him, but was powerless to stop. 

Finally he pulled back, his need for air outweighing his passion for his partner. Resting his forehead against hers, he breathed deeply of her scent, reveling in the moment.

“Are you ready to go?” Harm asked in a hushed voice.

“Game over?” Mac queried.

“Game over,” Harm returned with a smile.

Slowly they made their way back to the bar to retrieve Mac’s things, their hands intertwined, barely taking their eyes off one another.

Harm smiled at Sam, still standing quietly behind the bar. Sam gave a small salute as Harm and Mac made their way outside to Harm’s car.

“Home?” Harm turned to Mac once they’d made it into the crisp night air.

“It’s only 10:30 and I don’t have to work tomorrow,” Mac stated.

“Then where to, ma’am?” Harm ventured, still smiling.

Mac smiled. “Your place.”

~o~

Harm opened the door to his place and allowed Mac to enter ahead of him. When he flicked the switch to turn on the lights, Mac’s sudden intake of breath caused him to smile once again. 

Mac took in the scene in front of her. On the kitchen counter, the table, the coffee table and end tables, even on Harm’s desk, there were roses. Dozens of roses filling the room with their heady scent.

Turning back to face her partner, leaning against the door they had just passed through, Mac just stared.

“How did you know?”

“That we would be taking this step tonight? I didn’t.”

“Then why all the flowers?” Mac needed to know.

“I hoped we would finally be able to reach each other. I wanted them here in case we did,” he stated simply.

Mac’s eyes began to tear up as she reached out and pulled him into her arms. They clung together for several minutes, just enjoying the closeness to each other.

Finally, Harm pulled back to look into her eyes. “You are the most special person in the world to me, and I wanted to show you how much I love you.”

As the tears rolled down Mac’s cheeks, she whispered, “No one has ever done this for me before. Thank you.”

“You are more than worth it,” came the easy reply.

“I love you,” Mac said simply.

Harm leaned in then, capturing her lips with his own. It wasn’t a particularly passionate kiss, but one filled with all the love he felt for this woman. When they broke apart, Harm simply pulled Mac into his embrace and held her.

Mac finally leaned back and looked up into the blue eyes she loved so well.

“How do you know Sam, really?” she asked.

He’d been waiting for that question. “Sam was my father’s plane captain. After my ramp strike, he looked me up. When he decided to open the bar, I helped out with the work. He’s a good man.”

“How come you’ve never taken me there before?” came the next question.

Harm had to think about that one for a moment. Finally he answered. “Before I found out what happened to my father, I used to come talk to Sam about him. It was my way of being close to him when he wasn’t here. I guess I just wasn’t ready to share that.”

“Oh,” came Mac’s cryptic reply. She paused for a bit before continuing. “And after Russia?”

“I came home and told Sam. We had a drink in Dad’s honor. But by that time we were hardly speaking, so I didn’t think you’d even come.”

“I’m sorry you felt you couldn’t share that with me,” Mac apologized.

“Don’t ever be sorry, Mac,” Harm admonished her gently. “Sam was the one who came up with this idea. He’d heard me talk about this before, and I guess he was just tired of listening to me talk about you. I knew I could trust him to keep an eye on you until I got there, and he was happy to do it.”

“You said yesterday you had done this once before,” Mac started quietly. “Was it with Diane?”

Harm paused before answering. He closed his eyes trying to compose his thoughts before he spoke.

“Diane and I had been trying to decide what to do about us. We thought it would be fun to pretend to be strangers for one night, just to liven things up. That was a couple of weeks before she died. It helped me to see her in a new light. But please don’t think that I’m looking for you to replace her.”

“I didn’t, Harm,” Mac assured him. “I was thinking that it was all the more special that you chose to share this with just me and Diane. Makes me realize how much you cared about her, and about me.”

Harm leaned down and placed a slow, lingering kiss on her lips. “You are such a special person, Mac. I guess that’s why I love you.”

“You are pretty special yourself, mister. I guess that’s why I love you, too.”

Harm leaned down again and kissed Mac with all the passion and love he had in him. It had been a long road, but he intended to make sure that she knew every day that it had been worth it, and this kiss was a good place to start.

~Finis


End file.
